My New Favorite Weather Man!

Frankie McDonald has autism, and he's been doing weather for a few years now. After watching this guy do weather for about two months, I can honestly say I'm impressed!

He's a rough around the edges, a bit loud, repetitive, yet he's honest, accurate, and he cares about getting extreme weather alerts out to the people via the internet.

Laugh, but give Frankie a go.

Frankie's Links:
Snowmageddon 2016
Canadian Interview
Frankie's YouTube Page
Frankie's "Be Prepared!" Tee Shirts

Campy Out

What can you do?

Smile, it may be your last!

Smile as if it will be the last time you'll be able to smile... ever, 

Parkinson's WILL take your smile.

Laugh as if it will be the last time you'll be able to laugh... ever, 

Parkinson's WILL take your laugh.

Read as if you'll never be able to read again... ever,

Parkinson's WILL take your vision.

Walk like you'll never walk again... ever, 

Parkinson's WILL take your legs.

Whatever you do, do it, and experience it as if it will be the last time you will do it... ever, 

Parkinson's WILL sneak up on you and rob you of it eventually.

Never blow off an opportunity to do, make, or go, somewhere different, 

tomorrow IS NOT guaranteed

Above all,

Treat EVERYONE as if it will be the last time you see them... ever. 

Parkinson's will not rob you of the people you love, but YOU sure can.

Campy Out!

Gun Control. My Solution? "Roger's Gun Law"

If guns were lying around like cell phones, in one generation, guns would be a non issue.

In reality, any legislation that our state or federal government enacts will only, and I'm quite serious about this, only affect law abiding people. That's it, plain and simple. I understand the frustration on both sides, it's visceral.

Bad guys will always be bad guys, they don't care about laws. People will get shot, mean people don't care.

The rare mentally ill person will have moments when they slip into a zone where they will use any available weapon.

People will get shot, who knows why mentally ill people do what they do.

Law abiding, good citizens will forfeit certain weapons, forfeit certain accessories, obtain background checks, training,certification, and licensing as required, buy smart guns, secure guns as required, pay gun owner premiums on weapons and ammunition, and if required, pay a tax, all to own a weapon.

People will get shot, accidents happen.

What's the answer? This is going to sound really stupid, but please think about it.

I'd like to suggest Rogers Gun Law:

1. GIVE a hand gun to every tax paying US Citizen in America, old enough to drive,

2. Require annual training, and verification that the weapon is usable, well maintained and

3. The owner demonstrates proficiency in the use and maintenance of that weapon.

I'm sure some people are laughing, and some are about ready to puke. I believe an action such as Roger's Gun Law, would, make guns invisible within one generation. American's own a cars, kitchen knives, razors, loads of household poisons, rope, small gas motors, chainsaws, and a myriad of other potentially lethal items that we take for granted, and we don't even register the significance of the item, because they're all around us, every day.

This law would also start a whole new industry in America. Great idea Rog!

If guns were lying around like cell phones, in one generation, guns would be a non issue. People would still get hurt, killed, and robbed with weapons, but chances are the bad and sick, well at least the bad, people would think twice about using a weapon to commit their crime.

Campy Out!

Grand Canyon Sky Bridge Trip

Speaking of heights,

I found this on YouTube, and it reminded me of the trip my mother and I did last May!  

SkyWalk Grand Canyon (Not my video. Thankyou KernalPanic!)

Notice a few things as you watch the video:

- The platform extends 80 feet past the rim

- It's a 4000 foot drop to the canyon floor

- The Colorado river is 4 miles away, one mile down

- The notch in the canyon wall off to the right a sacred eagle formation, it is 3 miles away, and 1 mile long

- The other side of the canyon is 10 miles away

- The canyon helicopter tours, fly lower than the SkyWalk

- This tour, and opportunity, is run in entirely by the Hualapai Tribe

- The food was excellent, and the view at the dining facility was breathtaking!

In short, put this on your bucket list and don't blow it off!

Campy Out!

Campy Yawgoog

Boy Scouts of America.  Like them or not, I have very fond memories of spending my summers, and portions of the rest of the year, camping, fishing, or learning some skill that would eventually, against my will, prepare me to be a responsible man.

Camp Yawgoog is a Boy Scout Camp in Rhode Island's, Hope Valley. It's about 1800 acres of forest, (hear it comes... like isn't that the whole State?), where boys are allowed to be boys, so long as they stick to the Scout Oath, and the Scout Law, both of which are pretty serious to learn, live, and teach. I'm glad the camp still alive and well.

My 5 summers spent at Camp Yawgoog's Three Point Camp have been some of the best summer memories of my life. It is so hard to find places where young men, between the ages of 12 and 18 can explore, learn, and teach, with their peers free from the constant watchful adult eye. 

What did I learn at Camp Yawgoog? 

1.  I sucked at archery, basket weaving, sharpening my hatchet, and being on time.

2.  I wasn't as smart as I had been told. It took me four years to qualify sailboats, and five years to get my sailing merit badge.

3.  "Swim Check!" (where leaders count people in, and more importantly ON the water), doesn't last nearly as long as it seems to inconvenience swimmers.

4.  I learned that islands have a "wind shadow" behind them. In essence, no wind, means no sailing.  

5.  I learned that old, one sail, dory skiffs need a relatively stiff breeze in order to move.  They tend to STOP behind islands.

6.  Swimming in an old square orange life preserver sucks.  It sucks even more when trying to "swim tow" (unlike Jack Lalane) a small 10 foot sail boat.  It's no where near as graceful as you'd think.

7.  The most stable a small sailboat will be, is on its side in the water... really! 

8.  Be sure your boat partner understands why he needs to be on the opposite side of the boat you're attempting to get into.

9.  After they count "swimmers" at Sandy Beach, they count boats.  

10. Missing sailboats cause Scout Masters some consternation.

11. Swamped sailboats, behind King Phillip Island cause something a bit more profound than consternation.

12. I learned that in breaking the established water front and sailing rules, I had also broken Trustworthy, Obedient, Thrifty, and Brave, of The Scout Law.

13. I'm a pretty bad lier.

14. I can recover from a near total screw up.

15. I learned that I'm a pretty darn good dish washer. 

 Troop 73, Providence!!   (1972-1979!)

Campy Out!